As the county councillor for Fylde West Division (the Division where the proposed M55 Link Road is due to be constructed) I read with obvious interest your article last week regarding the delay in constructing the road.

The article implied that it is the county council which is delaying the start of construction.

This is totally incorrect.

The county council has done everything possible to get the road built but it should be remembered that the road is supposed to be entirely funded from the development of 1,150 houses at Queensway.

In 2012 when the Secretary of State for the Environment gave Kensington Developments planning permission for the site it was subject to a specified construction plan and the completion of the new road by the company. Sadly five years later we are still waiting for the company to commence construction.

Despite the stipulation by the planning inspector that the new road should be completely funded by Kensington, the county council has worked with Mark Menzies MP in an attempt to facilitate an early start on the road by seeking funding for approximately half the cost of the road. It seems though that we are still no nearer. As someone who has chaired a number of meetings between the developer and the various agencies I know full well who is holding up construction of the road.

Until the company decides that the Queensway site is commercially viable and agrees to fund the balance of the road there is no prospect of this road being built.

The road is absolutely essential for the future of Lytham St Annes but if a decision is not reached soon, I fear that the various agencies will withdraw their cash and the road will be put on the back burner for many more years.

County Coun Paul Hayhurst

Fylde West

Lancashire County Council

TRAMS

Stop blaming others over tram gates

Re Gazette Monday, January 23 Grant Howarth refers to the crossing gates on the tram tracks at Norbreck being removed and not replaced.

He says anyone with only a small amount of intelligence will see the dangers. So why did he not have his dog on a lead and stop blaming everyone else.

Mr A Gibson

Pilling Avenue

St Annes

THANKS

Great care at Vic eye department

I would like to thank the eye department at Blackpool Victoria Hospital for handling my treatment after I was diagnosed with an ulcer in my eye on August 8 last year.

I would like to thank Mr Imran Rahman and his staff for their courtesy and care, as well as his secretary who kindly explained everything to me, and the theatre staff who operated on my eye.

I was seen by Mr Rahman every week while I was having treatment, which I think is very good of the health service considering the restrictions they currently face.

The treatment was excellent.

John Neil Trickett

Blackpool, near Stanley Park

POLITICS

Entering era of uncertainty

As the Press struggle to define the decisions of President Trump and their impact on the rest of the world, we appear to be entering a period where future events are becoming increasingly difficult to define. The thought of a post-Brexit scenario with England and a fractured UK back in the EU, and using the euro, is preposterous.

John Fisher

Via email

BREXIT

Already had second referendum

Nick Clegg keeps going-on about having a second referendum; doesn’t he understand that June 23 was a second referendum? The decision of the majority vote in 1975 to stay in the Common Market, as it was then called, was based upon Edward Heath’s lies that it was not a political union, but a trade treaty.

The decision of the majority vote in 2016 to leave the European Union, however, was based upon 40 years’ experience of the reality of this Union. He should respect this decision and be doing his best to support this change.

So far as trade negotiations are concerned, I would have thought that it was in the best interests of all countries if things stayed the same until new agreements are signed.

This would greatly reduce uncertainty for both businesses and public and help to stabilise currency rates surely.

David Lee

Via email

BREXIT

Corbyn right stance on Brexit vote

I notice the Guardian newspaper and left-wing know-it-all Derek Hatton are having a pop at Jeremy Corbyn over his three-line whip for the Article 50 vote which is allowing the PM to shunt us out of Europe.

That is a ridiculous position to take against the Labour leader. We had a referendum and, yes, it was a terrible decision built on lies but where does democracy fit in if we start going against what the entire nation voted for?

It would be equivalent of the “we know best” attitude displayed by the Parliamentary Labour Party when they decided to try and oust Corbyn after he was legitimately elected by the party members.